Fostering Civic Engagement: DMC at the 2023 Girl Scout Leadership Summit

The David Mathews Center had an incredible opportunity to be an exhibitor at the 6th Annual Girl Scout Leadership Summit at the City of Trussville Civic Center on Saturday, August 26th. The Leadership Summit is a one-day conference "just for girls and led by girls" that allows members to examine and explore professional career options, connect with mentors, and focus on leadership development. The summit included 500+ girls in grades 4th-12th, mentors, and volunteers from across North-Central Alabama. The theme of the 2023 Girl Scout Leadership Summit was civic engagement, with the goal of helping girls foster the skills and confidence needed to make positive and sustainable changes in their lives, communities, and country. 

While hosting a table in the Summit's Hall of Experiences, the DMC had the exciting opportunity to meet with a large number of attendees and share our organization's mission with those who participated. The Hall of Experiences featured a variety of community partners where girls were able to learn about career opportunities, service projects, impact, and ways to get involved in their community. We were able to make many connections and talk with many of the participants on who we are and what we do at the David Mathews Center. We also brought and distributed a number of copies of our own issue guides, Freedom: Reconstruction 1867, Votes for Women: Suffrage 1915, and Separate & Unequal: 1963. We are grateful for the opportunity to engage with many of the girl scouts and even offer support with their upcoming bronze, silver, and gold projects. We also made several relationships with other volunteers during the Summit.

We are extremely appreciative for the opportunity to attend the 6th Annual Girl Scout Leadership Summit. We hope to continue this connection in the future and look forward to collaborating with everyone we met in the near future.